How Maruti showrooms are keeping safety as priority before opening doors again

Maruti Suzuki on Wednesday said that its showrooms across the country have been instructed to follow an exhaustive list of procedures to ensure safety of employees as well as customers before once again opening their facilities, subject to approvals from state governments. While the third phase of the national lockdown remains in place, certain relaxations mean that showrooms in certain cities and towns may be eligible to resume operations soon.

Maruti has said that its dealerships have been told to keep hygiene and sanitization on top of their to-do lists. This includes routine cleaning of test-drive cars, monitoring health of all employees, making masks mandatory for all, putting hand sanitizers at every touchpoint and focusing on maintaining social distancing.

The country's largest car maker is also urging customers to turn to digital channels to get detailed information of the vehicle of their choice. Maruti has extended the facility of booking its cars, selecting accessories and booking showroom visits to digital means for both Arena as well as Nexa facilities. Additionally, documents too can now be submitted online.

To further ensure safety and convenience of customers, new cars can also be delivered at home after being disinfected. Staff members in charge for delivery will wear masks and make use of hand sanitizers.

The emphasis on hygiene has also been extended to the company's manufacturing facilities. "All our dealerships have put in place steps to ensure complete safety, hygiene and sanitization of all touchpoints. I would like to assure our customers that your car buying experience with Maruti Suzuki is completely safe," said Kenichi Ayukawa, Managing Director and CEO, Maruti Suzuki India. "“At the same time, not just our dealerships, but also our manufacturing facilities and service workshops are completely sanitized. They are following all safety protocols, as prescribed by the Government."

These measures could bolster customer confidence especially after a nightmarish April when closed factories and shut showrooms saw sales fall to zero for almost every manufacturer in the country.